Transmission mechanism.



R. HERMAN.

TRANSMISSION MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25, I9II.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

III IlIIIl R. HERMAN.

TRANSMISSION MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APIL25. IQII.

1,173,964'. Patented Feb. 29,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- IVITNESSES NVENTOR ED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE. A

REINHOLD HERMAN, F GRAFTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRANSMISSION MECHANISM'..

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

Original application led January 9, 1911, S'erial No. 601,754. Divided and this application filed April 25,

. 1911. Serial No. 623,288. i

' To all whom it may concern myself to. this particular use, sincethe structure and arrangement of partsis such as will permit its use in other connections; for instance, where used in connection with motor vehicles, the driven shaft would have the direction of length of its shaft line at approximate right angles t0 the direction .of length of the drive shaft line, Whereas a change in gear structure Will permit of an arrangement of the parts so as-to provide lfor the operativeconnectionof shafts having their 'shaft lines lelXtelllding in the same I'so general direction, either "inf coincidence, in parallelism, or angular'with res ect to each other. As the structure, however, 1s 1n'- 'v tended vfor use in connection with motor vehicles,

the ily wheel of I have herein described itin connection with such vehicles, this forming the best exempliiication now." known t'o-me of its use. 1 1

In motor` vehicle. structures,` the axle, which forms the driven shaft is generally connected to the motor bymeans of universaljo-ints, a transmission-mechanism and a propeller shaft. which extends from .theaiile and is coupled-.byameansofa universal Joint to the dividedl shaft f ofl the transmission mechanism, the latten being bolted to the frame of the vehicle; the divided shaft is coupled tq the clutch of the' motor by means of an- .1' other unversal joint. It will be noted that in order to make u se of the different reductions of 'gears' for the purpose of obtaining the proper compounding of power, there is necessitated'the use of a number of Journals and disconnected elements which introduce an enormous amount of friction `or loss of to improvements in the other portion of power, in addition to which the up-keep of all these parts provides a source of considerable. expense to the user; such construction also has the effect of creating a great deal of noise in use forming an annoyance not onlyl to the occupants of the vehicle but also to twhe general public.v

In the present invention, I provide supporting means for the transmission mechamsm so arranged as to eliminate the use of divided shafts, or coupling parts and journalswhich support the frame, and all other adjuncts thereto required in its operation; I- also elminateithe employment of a structure in Whichlthe counter-shaft remainsy an idle element when thev drive and driven shafts are operatively connected. Furthermore, I provide-a structure ,in which the gearing and other operative elements of the transmission. mechanism are at all times positioned to'permit operation through the normal service operations, and at the same time permit parallel, alined or angular adjustments ofthe drive and driven shafts relative to each other as may be required to meet various conditionsor uses, there being no necessity-for changing, either by the addition or elimination of any part of the same to provide these adjustments, Ithe construction being such that the driven shaft and its housing are at all time retained in their original position.

The'y present application is a division of my application for supporting means for transmission mechanism, filed January 9,

' 1911., Serial No. 601,7 54, wherein is disclosed in greater detail, the specific construction and arrangement of parts of the casing within which the change speed gearing is mounted, the casing being so formed as to permit of various adjustments without affecting normal gear connections, the structure of Which forms the subject matter of the present application.

The invention of this application has for its princi al objects the following: (l) The provision uof transmission mechanism in which the drive and driven shafts are operatively connected only through an intermediate shaft, the latter being in permanent drive connection with the drive shaft. l (2) tively 'connected -only through an intermediate shaft, the latter being in permanent drive connection With the .drive shaft 'and carrying gears movable axially for the pu-rpose of engaging and disengaging with complemental gears of the driven shaft, the .structure being such that the driven shaft is free from gear engagement at all times excepting When being positively driven fromV f the drive shaft, thereby permitting the stantially noiseless.

driven shaft or axle to run free and sub- (3) To' provide" a transmission mechanism in lwhich the drive and driven shafts are operatively connected only by an intermediate gear, the latter being in permanent drive connection with the drive shaft through a bevel l`gear connection Y and providing the support for the intermediate shaft with means for adjusting the shaft lengthwise to `take up Wear in said bevel gear connection.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a structure of this character which is compact, durable in construction, requires a mlmmum of repairs, 1s readlly assembled,

'which can be manufactured at a relatively low cost, and which can be applied universally to all types of motor vehicles. 1'

To these and other ends, the nature' of whichwill be readily understood as the invention is hereinafter disclosed, my 'invenvtionfconsists of the improved construction and combination of parts, hereinafter de- .-f`scribed, "illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in vvthe appended claim.'-

In the accompanymg drawings, inwhich similar reference characters lndicate slmilar 'parts in `each of the views, Figure 1 is a .view showing my improved gearlng structure ,in position in a casing of the type dis'- `closed in'mycompanion application above identified, and of which this is a divisional application, the casing being shown in section, and the gear structure mainly in elevatin. Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken on line 545 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1, looking toward the left. Fig. 4'is a sectionalview on the frame line of said Fig. 1, but looking toward the right. vFig. 5 is a detail sectional .view illustrating one form of transmission mechanism which may be employed in connection with the divided axle.

In the drawings, 2O indicates the axle4 or driven shaft of a motor vehicle, 22 the springs supporting the chassis, 24 the drive shaft, 25 the supporting means for ythe transmission mechanism, and 26 the transmitting co-nnections'beween the drive and driven shafts. The driven shaft or axle is preferably divided, as shown in Fig. 5, the

specific construction ofthe differential housing mounted thereon and which carries the gears 50 and 51, not being specifically describedherein, as the same forms a part of the subject matter of an application filed by me concurrently with the parent application of which it is a division, said concurrent application being filed January 9, 1911, Serial #601358. l n

The supporting means' 25 is mounted on the axle and in turn supports the springs 22 on which are mounted the chassis, this construction providingthe direct support of the chassis on the transmissionsupporting 'means instead of directly on the axle,v f' thereby permitting ofV theuse` of anti-friction devices between the parts supported by the axleand theaxlelitself. and eliminating the effectof the chassis Weight to a consider- Weight is applied at, diversied points inablel degree by reason of the fact thatthe stead of at a single point at each side of the 'i axle. Furthermore, this arrangement permits of the employment of the supporting means for the chassis as a lubricant container, enabling a distribution of the lubricant throughout substantially the length of the axle and providing additional space for the lubricant, augmenting the supply carried within the main portion of the supporting means for the transmission mechanism'.

As heretofore -stated the supporting means 25 is more particularly described and yclaimed in the applicationv of which Lthis is a division, forming no part -of the inventionl `forming thef subject 'matterof thepresentapplication.I For the purposehowever, of locating certain of the parts` of the specific gear construction, it'zwill be noted that the casing is formed of three members, one of which is carried by the axle and forms the main support for the casing; the second is adjustable pivotally on the rst'yvith thel axle as theaxis, while the third member which carries the drive vshaft is also adjust- Y able pivotally with the intermediate shaft'asthe axis, the parts so arranged in connection with the specific structure'of elements of the present invention, providing a transmission mechanism capable of adjustmentin the angular relationship of the drive-and driven shafts without affecting the relative posilll having a drive engagement with a compleymental bevel gear 24a carried by the drive shaft, this construction providing a permavnent drive connection between the drive shaft 24 and the intermediate shaft 41.

If desired, and such construction is preferred, I may provide for adjustment of the' shaft 41 longitudinally to take up wear of the bevel gears by employing a' suitable of the bevel gears as well as to provide for the original adjustment of the gears when the parts are assembled.

The gear connections between the intermediate shaft and the driven shaft or axle are preferably as follows: Mounted on the driven shaft is a differential mechanism 49, said mechanism having gears 50 and 51 of different diameters, and spaced apart a distance sufiicient to permit of the movement of the selecting gear 52 mounted on the shaft 41, these parts being located onone side of the gear 42. On the opposite side of said gear 42 I show the slow-speed gear 53 mounted on the carrier for the differential mechanism, a suitable reversing gear structure embodying gears 54a and 54b being mounted on a stub-shaft 54 carried in bearings formed in the second member of the casing, the shaft 41 carrying a selecting gear 55, the arrangement being such that movements of the selecting gears 52 and 55 longitudinally of the shaft 41 will provide a selective drive engagement or connection between shafts 41 and 20. For the purpose of providing such selecting movements of the gears 52,` and 55, I preferably form the shaft 41 with one or more longitudinally extending ribs 41a, the gears 52 and 55 vhaving suitable ways for the passage therethrough of the ribs, this particular construction causing the gears 52 and 55 to be positively driven with the intermediate shaft 41, and at the same time be permitted to'move longitudinally of the shaft when it is desired to provide the operative connection between the drive and driven shafts.

Inasmuch as the gears which are connected to the gears 50 and 51 are of different diameters, I preferably form the gear 52 in the manner Vindicated in the drawings, this construction permitting a single lever to act to move the gear into engagement with either gear 50 or 51 as desired. The

gear 55, however, is preferably a single 6,.' gear, the gears with which it is adapted to ,0

coperate (53 and 54a) being capable of ar- 'rangment in such manner that the axial movement of the single gear will cause its teeth to intersect the path of movement of the teth of the two sets of gears with which it is adapted to coperate. 'I'o provide the shifting movements for the gears 52 and 55, I show al structure embodying a bar 56 adapted to move in a direction parallel to the axis of the shaft V41, said bar having a laterally-extending member engaging the selecting gear, said bar beingv movable through the movements of an angle lever 57 operatively connected to a controlling device (not shown), the bar preferably being provided with notches or recesses to receive a spring-pressed plunger for the purpose of retaining the bar against a free longitudinal movement, this construction being. of a well known type. It is to be understood that a seperate operating device is preferably employed with each the gears 52 and 55. Itis to be understood,'of course, that the axle or driven shaft is in the form of a dividedl structure, the differential mechanism 49 coperating with the parts of the shaft to permit the relative movements of the vehicle wheels in use.

By providing a neutral position for the selecting gears, in which position the driven shaft gears are entirely disconnected from any of the drive portions of the mechanism, the friction provided by the use of contacting gears, as in the general type of transmission mechanisms, is eliminated, the axle running free except` when a selecting gear has operatively connected the drive and driven shaft. And since the only connection between the constantly driven shaft 41 with its bevel gear and the driven shaft is through the selecting gears 52 or 55, it will be clear that when said gears are in neutral position not only will the driven shaft be entirely disconnected from the drive connections and therefore free to move (as when drifting), but in addition, the friction which would be placed on the bevel gears by a contact of the driven shaft gears with the gears carried by the constantly driven shaft is eliminated, so that the wear and tear of the constantly driven connections and their bearings is reduced to a minimum. By this construction, it will be obvious that the ability to entirely disconnect the constantly-driven (intermediate) shaft and the driven shaft in such manner that the gears .carried by these respective shafts are out of contact with one another provide a freedom of operationsufficient to increase the running qualities of the vehicle. This is especially true when the vehicle is drifting, the freedom from friction permitting the vehicle to run free.

' There is a particular advantage in the particular arrangement of the connections between the drive shaft and the differential mechanism, particularly during the change speed operation, or when picking-up from the drifting position. As will be seen, the drive-shaft and intermediate shaft are connected by bevel gearing which provides a reduction in speed from the drive to the' intermediate shafts in definite ratio. As a result, the selecting gears are traveling at a speed more closely approximating the speed of the driven shaft gears when the clutching` action takes place.` thus enabling the gears to be engaged with decreased liability of strip-1 v may be employed in connection with shafts which are not angular in this respect by a change in the form of gear connections and such modifications as may be necessary to provide for the entrance of the driven shaft for the supporting means, such variations in the general ideas disclosed herein and the use are contemplated by the present invention. and I therefore desire it tobe understood that I reserve the right to make any and all such changes and modifications therein as conditions may require, so far as they fall Within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claim. a

What I claim is A A drive shaft, af driven element, spaced gears of different diameters iiBxed to the driven element, an intermediate shaft constituting a counter shaft xedly spaced fromV the driven element, gearing connecting the counter and drive shafts, acpair of gears splined on the counter shaft and connected for simultaneous movement therealong, said pair of gears lying b'eween the gears on the driven element when in central position and movable into engagement selectively with said gears, a third gear fixed on the driven element, a stub 'shaft between the driven element and counter shaftha gear on -said stub shaft meshing with Athe third gear on the driven element, a second gear fixed on the stub shaft, a third gear splined on the counter shaft and movable into selective en gagement with the third gear on the driven element and the second gear on the stub shaft, and means to move the last mentioned gear along the counter shaft.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence 'of two witnesses.

A REINHOLD HERMAN.

Witnesses: A

J. T. MONTGOMERY, ERNEST PAYNE. 

